Streaming services and “borrowed” music libraries are under fire right now. Gen Z, in particular, seems to recognize the value of true ownership over physical media. When it comes to music, good old-fashioned CDs are arguably the best option for physical media. They offer fantastic audio quality and, when properly stored, tend to be resilient. But most modern stereo equipment options — and even most computers — lack CD drives. Chad Boughton wanted to add a CD drive to his Klipsch The Three stereo and built this ultra-thin add-on that tucks away nicely underneath.
Klipsch is a solid brand for people dipping their toes into high-quality audio, but who don’t have the budget for true audiophile-grade gear. Boughton owns a Klipsch The Three (yes, “The” is part of the official name), which is a really beautiful all-in-one stereo unit. As is always the case, some owners find the sound quality to be less than perfect. But, in general, most people really like The Three and report very respectable sound quality.
One of the key features of The Three is the audio source connectivity. It supports WiFi (for linking with other Klipsch devices), Bluetooth, RCA-style analog, 3.5mm TRRS, phono pre-amp, and USB type-B connections. To play a CD, the easiest option would be to connect something like a Discman via an auxiliary cable. But that would result in reduced audio quality and would require placing an ugly Discman next to the gorgeous The Three.
Boughton’s solution maximizes audio quality and retains the visual appeal of The Three. Underneath the stereo, Boughton placed a slim 3D-printed tray that can slide out when necessary to gain access. That tray contains a laptop DVD drive and a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B single-board computer.
Under normal circumstances, the Raspberry Pi is always on. The DVD drive connects to the Raspberry Pi through USB and when Boughton puts a CD in the drive, the audio starts playing. The Raspberry Pi pumps that out through a second USB connection to The Three. Because it is all digital until The Three receives the music, the audio quality is as high as possible — The Three has a good DAC (digital-to-analog converter) for working with all of those potential audio sources.
Finally, to control playback, Boughton added an IR receiver that connects to the Raspberry Pi’s GPIO pins. When configured with the codes from any IR remote, he can play, pause, skip tracks, and so on. He can also control playback through a terminal and SSH connection on his smartphone or computer.
Now Boughton can listen to CDs on The Three, while maintaining its clean aesthetics.
